The Black One Is Mine
The weather in the north is cold, while the weather in the south is warm. It seems that saying holds true no matter where you go in the world.
"Wow... It really is summer here."
We finally arrived before a large city in the south. The week-long carriage journey had come to an end at last.
The moment she stepped down, Iris suddenly sucked in a sharp breath. At first I thought she was just playing around. But when I followed her out of the carriage, I finally understood.
After traveling nonstop for an entire week, the place carried a completely different atmosphere from the Royal Capital.
"Ugh."
The master's reaction was exactly what I expected. His face made his irritation perfectly clear. The Heavenly Demon, the supreme ruler of the martial world, yet strangely vulnerable to heat.
For reference, Daisy had installed a cooling spell inside the carriage. Thanks to that, we hadn't felt the heat at all during the journey. The moment we left the carriage and set foot in the south, however, the warmth hit us all at once.
The master would surely grow irritated, then furious. I was bracing myself for the coming storm when something felt off.
"It is indeed quite hot here. Mm. A very hot place."
"...?"
That was it? Hold on, Master. Is that all you're going to say? Not long ago you would have been extremely irritated by the heat. This place is plenty hot, even if not quite a desert. Why are you so calm?
"Master."
"What is it?"
"It's a very hot place, isn't it?"
"Indeed. A very hot place."
"..."
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
There was no trace of irritation in his voice. Instead, it felt as though he were quietly anticipating something. The feeling was strong; it was no illusion.
What could it be? What was the master thinking? This was the first time I had no idea how to read him.
"M-Master..."
When I turned my head, I saw Ester still unable to leave the carriage. She was glancing around nervously, worried someone might be nearby. I pulled up her hood and offered my hand to reassure her. Only then did she dart over like a cat and cling to my side.
"Then I shall take my leave here."
"Thank you for your hard work. About the payment..."
"Oh, it's fine. When I get back, John promised to buy me a generous round of drinks anyway."
"Drinks are drinks, but the trip south alone took over a week. You drove the carriage the entire way. The horses will need rest on the return trip, so you'll probably lose nearly a month's worth of work."
"Don't worry. I've already received full payment, including compensation for that. If you try to pay extra, it'll only cause me trouble. I'll simply accept your goodwill."
The coachman who had brought us south firmly refused any tip. Even after I offered several times, he refused to the end, so I nodded. If someone declines after three offers, it means accepting would be inconvenient. Pressing further would be discourtesy, not politeness.
"Then I pray for your safe return to the capital."
"That alone is more than enough. May your journey be pleasant as well."
With those parting words, the coachman turned the carriage around and headed back the way we had come. After watching him for a moment, we entered the city and made our way toward the finest inn.
No matter how comfortable the carriage had been, it was no place to lie down properly.
"Master, will this really be all right?"
"What do you mean all of a sudden, Iris?"
"We're about to walk in wearing hoods at a time when the situation is this tense."
As Iris said, wearing hoods would normally be unremarkable. These were not normal times, however. A week was more than enough for news of the capital's tragedy to spread across the entire kingdom. The continent would be gripped by anxiety because of the rumors.
Emergency orders would also have reached every region from the palace: stay vigilant and watch for the Demon God worshippers who preach the end of the world. Because of that, security in every city and castle had likely been tightened.
From the guards' perspective at the city gates, anyone trying to enter while wearing a hood would look the most suspicious. That would be a problem for the master, but Ester would face the greatest difficulty. Anyone with horns was regarded as an evil being no matter where they went.
This time, however, there was no inspection or demand to lower our hoods. As if anticipating this, I had obtained a certain item from the king before leaving the capital—more like snatching it away.
"Gasp?!"
"We may enter, yes?"
"W-Welcome! Please come right in!"
The gift, crafted from pure gold as though carved from a single ingot, was a special pass issued directly by the palace to only a select few. Thanks to it, the guards' inspection posed no issue.
Possessing the pass meant being a direct affiliate of the palace. Of course, neither I nor any of the heroes were actually palace personnel. Still, to the city guards, that was how it would appear.
Since the capital had not fallen and the palace remained intact, there were benefits like this.
"I thought they would be suspicious, but they let us through surprisingly easily."
"Given the circumstances. In these chaotic times, anyone carrying the palace's special pass is most likely a member of the royal intelligence agency that serves as the palace's eyes and ears."
It was only a guess, but the probability was high. Would the royal family ruling such a vast kingdom truly lack a direct intelligence agency? If you act appropriately based on predictable facts, no one will know the difference.
"More importantly, where is that top-class inn you mentioned, Iris?"
"We need to go further in. It's supposed to be near the bustling district."
"If it's disappointing when we get there, five honey punches."
"...I suppose I should be grateful it's not ten."
"Then let's make it fifteen instead of five."
"That's too much!"
Seeing her react like that suddenly made me anxious. If the inn turned out to be below expectations, she really might get angry. Contrary to my worries, however, the place we found was quite excellent.
Centered around a single large hall were three bedrooms. Each room was properly furnished rather than containing only a bed. The decorations looked sophisticated at a glance, and the staff were neat and professional. By my standards, it was comparable to a luxury hotel—on an entirely different level from the inns we usually stayed at. It was truly an establishment for the wealthy.
"...It is quite a nice place."
The master, who rarely commented on sleeping arrangements, even wore a faint smile. That alone was enough to call it a success. Ester also muttered in a small voice, "Hee..."
"How is it, Master? What did I tell you!"
"...The same person who was worrying about how to take fifteen punches just moments ago."
"That's that, and this is this. Isn't it better than any place we've stayed so far?!"
"Yes. I'll admit that. It seems better than Daisy's house."
Though the lodging fee was ridiculously expensive. Well, money was not a problem this time, since the disciples had generously provided plenty.
Tug tug-.
I was about to sit in a chair in the central hall to rest when someone suddenly pulled at my sleeve. Turning my head, I saw Ester kneeling beside me.
"U-Um... Master. Well, you see..."
"Ester. I told you to speak confidently if you have something to say."
"Ah! S-Sorry. So... um, there are three bedrooms, right?"
"Yes."
"Then... can I share a room with Master? I can sleep on the floor!"
If you are not going to sleep in the bed, could you not simply sleep in the hall? There were sofas and carpets laid across the floor. Wanting to share a bedroom for that reason felt rather flimsy, Ester.
"Ester senior, really. I told you there's no need to be so embarrassed!"
"It is something to be embarrassed about, Iris. Be quiet."
"Yes, Master."
Iris, sitting across from us, answered and began rummaging through something. It looked like the luggage she had packed for the trip south. At first I saw preserved food, spare clothes, and then sleeping bags, blankets, and other essentials. I was thinking that, as expected of a regressor, her preparedness was thorough when...
"...Wait a moment, Iris."
"Yes?"
"Stop right there. Don't move your hands."
"W-Why?!"
"What's this sleight of hand? You think I didn't see it? How dare you try to deceive me!"
"What are you talking about! What did I do?!"
Oh? She was still denying it even though everything had been seen? What a pointless act.
"You. What were you trying to pull out from under that blanket?"
"...Gasp."
"What is that? It looked black and white."
"I-It was nothing?!"
"..."
"It really was nothing! Just clothes, clothes!"
"...Ester."
"Y-Yes. Master."
"Grab the youngest."
Ester did not ask why. She simply answered "Yes!" and leaped forward as instructed. Thanks to that, Iris was instantly subdued by Ester. She kept screaming, "It's nothing! It's really nothing!"
Unfortunately, what lay hidden beneath the blanket was not "nothing."
"..."
"..."
It was so skimpy that it could hardly be called clothing—more like scraps of fabric. A very revealing outfit.
I tilted my head, wondering what it was, when Iris hurriedly shouted.
"I-It's not weird! Look! It's clothes! A swimsuit! It's a swimsuit!"
"When did you even buy a swimsuit? No, more importantly, why prepare a swimsuit?!"
"Because we're going south, of course!"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Don't you know?! There are many large lakes in the south famous as resorts! Five enormous lakes so vast they remind you of the sea—the Great Lakes! I was going to wear it there!"
"..."
No, are we going on vacation right now? We are heading out to deal with monsters and the Demon God worshippers still hiding somewhere. Why are we suddenly talking about swimming?!
"Hyun-ah."
"Yes, Master."
"Ahem."
"I'm sorry for showing you this. I'll educate Iris properly so she understands..."
"That is not it. Put down the black one."
"Huh?"
"...This One's."
"...?"
For a moment I wondered if I had misheard. Whose? Whose did you say? I quickly examined the black swimsuit in my hand. It was not a one-piece, and the fabric coverage was minimal. It was literally a bikini, and quite a daring one at that. It was clearly a swimsuit that looked very, and quite dangerously... No, that was not the point. It was definitely a swimsuit that seemed quite risky.
"..."
After blinking for a moment, I quietly set down the master's swimsuit.